


We Tried

by CaptainCharmed



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-16 07:09:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29696895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainCharmed/pseuds/CaptainCharmed
Summary: Veronica and Jughead find out the truth about Archie and Betty. It doesn't exactly go too well
Relationships: Archie Andrews/Veronica Lodge, Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones, Jughead Jones/Veronica Lodge
Comments: 7
Kudos: 70





	We Tried

Veronica couldn't believe what she was hearing. Here Archie was telling her that he and Betty had messed around together---again.  **_Again_ ** .  **_Again_ ** .

It didn't even seem like Archie cared. Veronica felt as if he was only telling her to clear his own guilt.

_ I thought you loved me, Archie.  _ She wanted to say. Or maybe something a little more clever.  _ Isn't it funny the things we miss? _

But she didn't say any of the things she wanted to. "Oh."

"That's all I get?" Archie asked her. "An  _ oh?  _ Aren't you upset about this?"

Veronica stared at him with tears in her eyes. "What am I supposed to say? Am I supposed to say that I understand?" Veronica felt beyond angry. "Am I supposed to pat you on the back for hooking up with my best friend behind my back?"

Archie didn't expect all that. "Ronnie."

"I can't believe you" Veronica snapped jumping to her feet and glaring at him. "This is supposed to be the best night of my life. I'm supposed to be dancing with my boyfriend and spending time with my friends because it's one of the last nights we have together."

"I'm sorry---"

"Are you?" Veronica questioned. "Would you actually take it back if you could?"

Archie shook his head. "I love you, Veronica, but I can't pretend that I don't have feelings for Betty."

Veronica couldn't believe what he was saying. "So you actually have feelings for her?" She shook her head. "You know I think I've done a pretty good job of being the understanding best friend and girlfriend. But I'm done with that, Archiekins."

The way Veronica said  _ Archiekins _ stung. It wasn't in the sweet, soft voice she tended to use. She said it as if it was a bad word that wanted desperately to be rid of.

"I think Jughead should know too" Veronica said suddenly. "So I'm going to go and tell him how loyal you and Betty are."

"Ronnie, please" Archie tried. "Don't tell him tonight. I don't want to ruin Betty's night."

Veronica glared at him. "But you were perfectly fine with ruining mine?" She shook her head. "No. I think it's time we let Jughead see you and Betty for who you really are."

Veronica stormed away from Archie in search of Jughead and Betty. But Archie chased after her trying to convince her to not say anything. "Ronnie, please. You can't say anything tonight."

Veronica ignored him and she walked up to Jughead, she pushed Betty out of her way before she grabbed Jughead by the neck and pulled him into a passionate kiss. Betty stood there at a loss until she looked over at Archie and by the look of remorse on his face she could tell that Veronica knew the truth.

"I'm sorry about that" Veronica said as she turned to face Betty. "I just figured we were sharing boyfriends now since you like to mess around with Archie that is."

Jughead looked between betty and Veronica before he shook his head. "That isn't true. Right, Betts? Tell her it isn't true…"

Betty started to cry. "Jug, I am so sorry---" she tried to reach for him. "---please just listen. It was a mistake."

"Don't touch me!" Jughead snapped at her. "Save your excuses for somebody who cares." And with that Jughead was walking away from her.

Betty glared at Veronica. "Are you happy now, V?"

Betty stormed away from Veronica and Archie chased after her trying to be there for her. And Veronica was left on the dance floor all alone. She was sure that was what her life was going to become. After all Archie had been the nicest boy she had ever been with and even he left. So Veronica was starting to think that maybe something was wrong with her.

_ Maybe I'm just not able to be loved. _

Veronica couldn't handle the glares she was getting from Cheryl. For some reason she had chosen this exact night to be  _ protective cousin  _ and in all honestly Veronica wanted to be dead. She didn't want to ever see Archie or Betty ever again. She just couldn't handle it much anymore. So she found herself walking outside to where Jughead was sitting on the steps.

"I'm sorry" Veronica said feeling as if she owed him an apology. "For kissing you like that and for saying it like that."

"Don't be. I liked the kissing" Jughead told her with a smile. But it turned to a frown rather quickly and she could tell he was feeling as heartbroken as she was. "Thank you for telling me. I don't think Betty was ever going to."

Veronica stared at him. She wanted to try to make him laugh at least because she didn't like seeing Jughead so broken up over Betty Cooper. "The kissing was pretty great wasn't it?"

Jughead chuckled. "Better than the hot tub?"

"Hmm" Veronica thought about it. "Maybe the hot tub. But to be fair you were shirtless during that one."

Jughead laughed a little. But then he thought back to Betty and Archie. It hurt to think that Archie had betrayed him in the worst way. "How can they do this to us?"

"I don't know" Veronica admitted sadly. "I mean all we ever did was try to love them. Yeah, maybe were not perfect, you know."

Jughead nodded. "Yeah. We're far from it."

"But we try" Veronica shook her head and she broke down. "I mean we tried…" she looked at Jughead, desperate for some kind of assurance. "...didn't we?"

"Yeah" Jughead smiled at her, sadly. "We tried harder than they'll ever admit." He grabbed Veronica's hand and intertwined it with his own. "We tried."

Veronica laid her head on Jughead's shoulder and some part of her feared he would push her away but he didn't. It was comfortable sitting there with Jughead staring off into the darkness and away from all of that noise. Veronica could sit there all night, even if neither of them uttered another word, because they shared pain. She never had felt so close to Jughead before. Sometimes it would feel like they were only friends because of Archie and Betty. But as she sat there with Jughead she knew that wasn't the case at all.

They cared for each other. He was her rock here and he was hers. She felt so safe with her head on his shoulder and Jughead felt as safe with his hand wrapped up tight with Veronica's. They had tried and it didn't work out but there they were and somehow that made Veronica feel as if maybe someday it would get better.


End file.
